Railway-crossing-gate lamp and hanger.



RAILWAY CROSSING GATE LAMP AND HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1915.

1 1 84,097 I Patented May 23, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

H COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co WASHINGTON D c H. HOBSON.

fiAILWAY CROSSING GATE LAMP AND HANGER.

Patented May 23, 1916.

SHEETS-SHEET 2. "19 7 paving State of Kansas,

TES

HARRY HOIBSON, 0F TOPEKA, KANSAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed February 11, 1915. Serial No. 7,511.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY HoBsoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Cross ing-Gate Lamps and Hangers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates more particularly to means whereby a lamp or lantern may be properly supported from the usual type of crossing gate employed where railroad tracks make surface crossings, that is, where the tracks and highways cross each other at the same grade; the invention also relating to means whereby the light from the lamp or lantern will be so directed as to be visible from the highway without, however, being visible to the engine-men or crew of trains approaching or occupying the crossing.

One object of my invention is to provide means whereby the lantern will constantly be in a proper; vertical position regardless of the position of the crossing-gate, namely whether the gate be in raised or vertical position, so as to clear the crossing, or in' a horizontal or closed position, while the rays of light emitted by the lamp or lantern will at all times be in proper direction relative to the crossing.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the shocks, that would be encountered by the lamp or lantern in the operation of the crossing-gate, will be reduced, thereby eliminating any possibility of the light becoming extinguished by reason of jars encountered in the operation of the crossing-gate.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the rays of light, emitted by the lamp or lantern, will be at right angles to the track so as to beconstantly visible to pedestrians or individuals on the highway and not visible to the train crew, so that the light may not be mistaken by the latter for a signal light intended to guide the crew in its operation of the train.

The purpose of my invention is to provide means of the class herein set forth which will be simple in constructionand manipulation and inexpensive in manufacture; the invention possessing other advantages in herent inthe device whiohwill be fully understood from the following detailed description of the construction as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention showing the same applied to a portion of an arm of a crossing-gate, with the cross ing-gate shown in closed or horizontal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of my invention, with the portion of the crossing-gate or arm shown in raised or vertical position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of the lantern in Fig.1, looking downwardly. Fig. 4 is a side view-of'one of the lamp or lantern shields, showing the side of the shield which is to come adjacent the lamp or lantern. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the opposite side'or outside of one of the shields. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7- is a perspective view of the hanger or fastening portion of my invention, illustrating thesame attached to a portion of a crossing-gate or arm. Fig. 8 is a detail View in perspective of a portion of the fastening means or hanger shown in Figs. 1, 2and 7.

In the particular exemplificationv of my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, 10 represents a portion of a crossing-gate or arm to which is secured, at a proper point intermediate of its ends, the supporting member or arm 11 preferably made of metal and provided with angular ends 11* and 11 The end 11 is adapted to be secured to the crossing-gate or arm 10 by any suitable means, as, for example, by bolt or bolts 12, see Fig. .7, so as to maintain the supporting member or arm ll at right angles to the crossing-gate or arm 10, as shown. In order to provide a firm grip for the securing bolts and their nuts, I prefer to employ a metallic plate 13, see Fig. 1, adaptedto be placed intermediate of the nuts on the bolts 12. This plate 13 may either bemade integral with or separate from the supporting member or hanger 11.

Secured to the right angular end 11 of member 11, in any suitable manner, is a plate 14 provided with an oif-set 14 intermediate of its endsso as to provide space intermediate of the free ends of the portion 11 and the plate or member 14 to receive the intermediate link or member 15. The free ends of the portion 11 and the plate 14 are preferably rer s u h we r ndin and regi i slots extending lengthwise thereof, as shown at 16, see Figs. 1, 2 and 7. The intermediate link or member 15 is provided at one end thereof with right angularly disposed studs l5 l5- of a length sufiicient to permit them to extend through the elongated slots 16 in the end 11 and plate or member 14, asmore clearly shown in Fig. 7, thuspermitting link or member 15 to have considerable movement relative to the fixedly secured portion 11. It is evident from the construction described that the link or member 15 will be free to move lengthwise of the end ll Jand member '14 when subjected to any jar or jolt, and at the "same time be permitted to swing into a position substantially at right angles to the direction in which end 11 and portion or plate '14 extend, as illustrated in Fig. 2,when.

the crossing-gate -or arm 'is in vertical or raised position. I

Secured to the lower or free end of link or member 15 is thelantern or lamp bail-re'ceiving portion or member 17. I have preferred to illustrate the bail-receiving portion as being made separate from the intermediate link 'ormember 15, and have shown this portion or member in the nature of a metallic -platebent backward uponitself so as to provide a loop, with the portion intermediate'of the ends thereof of greaterjwidth than the ends which are secured to the link or member 15, thus providingproper support for the lamp or lantern-bail whereby. undue shifting of the lamp orflanternwill be prevented; The bail-receiving member 17 .is

preferably shown secured to the end of link or member'lobymeans of a suitable bolt 18 7 which passes through registering perforations in the ends of member 17 and the per: foration's 15 in theends. of link or member 15; the-other end of the bolt 18 being preferably provided with suitable means, such as a 'butter-fiynut 19, that *will'enable the bolt being easily secured in place or withdrawn therefrom forthe purpose of releasing the member 17 whenit is desired to suspend the lamp or'lantern'in place. "The bail-receiving member 17 is preferably so secured to link or, member 1'5that it may also be free to move or swing independently of link or.

@member '15, thus insuring sufiicient freedom for'the lamp or lantern and permitting the same to 'movezsidewise irrespective of the other. elements or members of'th'e hanger. The connection between member-'17 and link 15 may be modified, but should be of such nature as to permit the bail of the lamp or lantern to be easily put into pl ce; and at the same time prevent the accidental displacement ofythebailthrough jars, and so forth. U

'- In order to carry out the further purpose oflmy'invention, I provide a'pair of shields 20, 20, similar in"'oonstruction, which are 'adaptedito be seeure'd tojthe'top'rib onwire lantern,

guard of the lantern whereby the glass or 2 chimney is protected. The shields 20, 20sare made of suitable material, preferablythin sheet metal, having the main or body por-' tion 20 thereof 7 concavo-convex, as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The sides of the concavo-convex with the wings 20 20", arranged to extend at an angle to the main or body portion 'so as to completely shut ed the light from the tram crew, or, in other words, shut 011' the a light in a direction parallel with the track, but, at the same time, permitting the light portion are provided 7 to di'fiuse in thedirection of the highway crossed by the tracks. The shields, as will be readily understood, and as disclosed in the drawings, do not extend entirely about the lantern or lamp, but jmerelyfincase the 7 to fit over the wick-controlling member of o the burner, respectively, as it is desirable to have the width of the flame presented toward the space between the shields 20, 20,

and therefore toward the highway. I'have illustrated the shields provided with strips of flexible metal 22, 22,

form of hooks so as to extend about the secured tothe inner sides of the shields substantially throughout the lengths of the strips, except at the ends thereof. The ends,.as shown,,jare left free so as to permit theirbeing bent into the lantern, as shownlat 24, see Fig. 6; "the shields 20, 20 thus being firmly held inplace while,"a;t the same time, permitting them to" beremoved by simply bending the ends of the strips 22, 22 so as to release them fromp the wire-guard and top rib of the. lantern.

The means for securingthe shieldsin place maybe diiferentlyvformedfrom that disclosed and described; it being essential,

however, thatthe fastening means be ofsuch nature'as will permit the removal of the. shields for the purpose of giving access to the. glass or chimney of the lantern when desired. In the preferred construction of the shields, they 'may be slightlyfcurved.

vertically so as. to conform ,more orfless'to 11 the curvature'of the glass or chimney "infa i vertical direction. .The shields 20, 20 may i 7 eitherbe made of separate portions of sheet a metal, soldered or otherwise secured -to-" 2 '7 gether, or they frn'ay be stamped outfofa slngle sheet; The shields,as is evident'from the uredjtdthe ides of the lamp 'or lantern withfw hich the ends I of the bail are secured, "in other Words, they are so secured to the lamp or lantern that all rays of light that would be thrown out parallel with the bail of the lantern will be shut off, so as to merely allow the light to shinevin opposite directions transversely of the track, that is, in the direction of the highway crossing the track.

In the operation of my invention it is apparent that the lamp or lantern will constantly be maintained in a vertical position regardless of the position of the crossinggate; that is, the lamp or lantern will extend in a direction parallel with the free end 11 of the holding member 11 when the crossing-gate 10 is in closed or horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and will extend at an angle to the free end 11 of the hanger 11 when the gate is either in a vertical or an intermediate position. Furthermore, the intermediate connections of the hanger are such as to reduce the shocks on the lamp or lantern caused in the operation of the crossing-gate when the latter reaches either the vertical position or the horizontal position, thus preventing the lamp or lantern receiving such shocks as might result in extinguishing the light as well as in the spilling of more or less oil.

I have shown and described what I believe to be the simplest and best form of the invention, but it is apparent that certain modifications may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be understood, therefore, as limiting myself to the exact construction shown and described.

What I claim is 1. Means of the class described, comprising a member adapted to be secured to a crossing-gate, and a lantern-bail receiving portion, and means intermediate of said portion and said member and yieldingly connected therewith so as to permit the means and said portion to have lateral movement.

2. Means of the class described. comprising a member adapted .to be fixedly secured to a crossing-gate so as to extend at an angle thereto, and a removable lantern-bail receiving portion having slot and pin connection with the free end of said member so as to permit the lantern to oscillate transversely of said member. 7

3. Means of the class described, comprising a member adapted to be secured to a crossing-gate so as to extend at an angle thereto, the free end of said member being bent at an angle to the main portion thereof and provided with an elongated slot-way extending lengthwise thereof, and a lanternholding portion secured in said slot-way so as to move lengthwise of the bent end of said member and to oscillate;

4:. Means of the class described, comprising a bracket-member having angularly bent ends, one of which is adapted to be secured to a crossing-gate while the other or free end is provided with a slot-way, a lanternreceiving portion secured in said slot-way so as to oscillate and have movement lengthwise of said free ends, and means whereby said portion is removably held in place.

5. Means of the class described, comprising a bracket-member adapted to be secured to a crossing-gate and having its free end bent at an angle to the main or body portion thereof, an intermediate member having slot and pin connection with said free end so as to be free to oscillate and to move lengthwise of said end, and a lantern-holding portion removably secured to said intermediate member.

6. Means of the class described, comprising a bracket-member adapted to be secured to a crossing-gate and provided with an angularly bent end, an intermediate member or link connected with said bent end so as to be free to move lengthwise thereof and to oscillate, a. lantern-bail receiving loopmember, and means whereby said loop-member is removably secured to said intermediate member.

7. Means of the class described, comprising a bracket-member adapted to be secured to a crossing-gate so as to extend at a right angle therefrom and having its free end bifurcated and provided with an elongated slot extending lengthwise of the bifurcations, an intermediate member provided with oppositely disposed studs or pins adapted to extend into the elongated slots of said bifurcations, and a lantern-bail receiving member removably secured to the other end of said intermediate member, said bail-receiving member being of greater width intermediate of its ends.

8. Means of the class described, comprising a supporting-member arranged to be secured to a crossing-gate, a lantern-bail receiving portion removably secured to said supporting member and arranged so as to permit the lantern to have vertical and 0s cillatory movements, and means removably secured to and arranged to move with'the lantern. whereby the rays of light are obscured in directions parallel with the tracks and diffused in directions at an angle to the track. a

9. In means ofthe class described, a pair of shields for the lantern, the main or body portions whereof are formed to partially encircle the lantern. said body portions being provided with notches for the passage of the lantern-bail, shields are flared so as to prevent the light being visible in directions parallel with the while the sides of said i lantern and having flared sides to constieach shield whereby the shields are removtute Wings whereby the light may diffuse ably secured to the lanterns, V in directions substantially at right angles i to said body portions but madeinvisible in HARRY 'HOBSON. directions extending parallel with the sides Vitnesses: a

of the lantern on which the shields are 10- GEO. NJHOLMES, V

sated; and a pair of members secured to O. J. Goon; v

Qopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Comniissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 1 

